Court orders Ben Gvir to stop blocking promotion of officer who testified against Netanyahu

The Jerusalem District Court rules that far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir must stop blocking the promotion of  Supt. Rinat Saban, an officer who testified against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The court says that the events “raise real concern about the existence of external considerations” affecting her promotion.

Ben Gvir has for months, against the counsel of senior police brass, been preventing the advancement of Saban, who helped investigate and later testified in Netanyahu’s corruption trial.

Ben Gvir later tells a conference that he will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, adding that he is “not a rubber stamp.”

Traditionally, the minister responsible for police signs off on officers’ promotions in rank. However, the signature was seen as little more than a formality until Ben Gvir was appointed.

Police chief Danny Levy has been seeking to promote the superintendent and argued in a November court filing that Ben Gvir’s refusal to give the final signature “could sow fear among police officers who testify in criminal investigations.”

Ben Gvir signed off on Saban’s promotion in December 2024 conditional on her completing the police command and staff course. She finished the course in April 2025, a month after testifying against Netanyahu in court. Then, in a reversal, he blocked the promotion.